CLEAR partners with Red Bull Racing to advance product innovation, elevate brand experiences
Unilever-owned CLEAR has unveiled a new global partnership with Formula One (F1) team Oracle Red Bull Racing, as part of its strategy to advance product innovation and elevate brand experiences.
The brand, best known for its anti-dandruff shampoo and scalp care products, is the latest to join the emerging trend of cross-industry collaborations between beauty and personal care companies and F1 racing teams.
This move marks a new chapter for CLEAR as it looks to reinforce its leading expertise in scalp care while innovating and delivering high-performance solutions aimed at helping people stay confident and focused under pressure.
Hallyu wave: Latest news on K-beauty exports, Olive Young, Mediheal and ANUA
This round-up highlights recent developments in K-beauty, spanning cosmetics export figures to highly anticipated strategic collaborations.
Notably, South Korean cosmetics exports hit a new high last year, according to statistics from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS).
Cosmetics exports in 2025 exceeded USD11.43bn, a 12.3% increase from the previous year’s USD10.18bn, with the largest export destination shifting from China to the US.
Strategic reset: Hourglass expands partnership with Sephora in ANZ
Luxury beauty brand Hourglass recently announced Sephora as its new exclusive retail partner in Australia and New Zealand (ANZ), signalling a strategic shift in its global distribution model.
The brand will officially launch across Sephora ANZ stores, online, and via the Sephora app on February 26, joining major makeup brands like Rare Beauty, Haus Labs, FENTY BEAUTY, and Makeup By Mario as exclusive brand partners with Sephora in the region.
This move solidifies Sephora’s standing as its primary global retailer, and also marks Hourglass’s departure from long-term retail partner Mecca.
Patrick Ta Beauty enters Middle East via Sephora to satisfy ‘remarkable demand’
Patrick Ta Beauty has launched exclusively at Sephora Middle East to meet demand in the region, where one of the brand’s strongest and most-engaged followings is said to be based.
The prestige colour cosmetics brand was co-founded by Vietnamese-American celebrity makeup artist Patrick Ta, who has regularly travelled to Middle East for private clients and educational events over the past decade, deepening his presence and visibility.
According to Kimberly Villatoro, CEO of Patrick Ta Beauty, expanding into this region reflects how strongly it has embraced the brand codes — elevated artistry, innovative formulas, and luxurious presentation.
Supplier update: Strategic partnerships and new facilities feature in this round-up
A number of cosmetics supplier companies have recently announced fresh strategic partnerships and newly opened facilities.
For instance, ODM company Kolmar Korea has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with US-headquartered specialty materials company Eastman aimed at accelerating breakthrough sustainable innovations for the global beauty industry.
The collaboration will focus on expanding access to Eastman’s Esmeri technology, which includes Esmeri CC1N10, an advanced cellulose ester micropowder for colour cosmetics.
